A frustrating game which we led and fell away after two soft goals.
We started well. I am sure they just thought they would pull their shirts on and we would roll over. We had other ideas. We were on the front foot with everybody getting their foot in. They looked a little bit rattled. And then we scored with less than ten on the clock. Murray was wide left and hit a decent cross which Bradshaw met with a glancing header and it hit the back of the net. We couldn’t believe our good fortune to be leading so early. They looked a bit shell shocked but we had plenty of belief and confidence to push forward. After two more minutes it was Bradshaw who crossed it for Murray to head it goalwards but the keeper saved it. In the meanwhile they were pushing the ball around like Barcelona and there were several moments when we were running around with our tongues hanging out. We were trying hard to get back into it but a good challenge in the middle set us free but the shot was deflected wide.
They had lots of possession but they could not break us down and the half ended with us just in front.
Joe would have been delighted with the first half display and would have had a clear message for more of the same and a fierce determination not to concede early in the second half. He took off Murray who was getting roasted by their nippy winger and brought on Danny to keep him quiet. There was barely three minutes on the clock and they got one back. A cross from the left came off either Jake’s or their defender’s shoulder and drops in. I though Shark could have done better. He made another blooper three minutes later when poor positioning allowed the ball to go over his head and their attacker had the easiest chance to knock it in. Our heads dropped, we couldn’t up our intensity and they just toyed with us in the middle. We were chasing shadows, looking tired and forlorn and they pushed forward at will. A cream crackered Tom and Watmore came off and Nisbet and Flem came on. We had a little more energy but the game moved away from us with their third. We couldn’t get the ball away from our box and a deflected shot hit the back of our net. Now realised it was go for bust so on came Longman and Billy for Campbell and Honeyman and we pushed forward. A corner fell into their box and Nisbet got the last touch to score our second. It was now time for the Alamo as Cooper was pushed forward but despite six added minutes we could not score a third and so they ran out narrow winners.
For me there are questions about Shark’s qualities. Their first two goals were soft. Cooper and Wes were solid but Murray was shown up by his lack of pace..Leonard was OK and BNC tried hard at wingback. Campbell did little, Honeyman was energetic but Sav got my MOM for a determined and effective midfield display. Watmore had some good forward movement and Tom took his goal well.Flem and Rab had good twenty minute cameos. Rab took his goal well too. Billy added energy in the last ten but Longman did very little.
There we’re some encouraging signs at times but they are a decent outfit. No complaints at the final score. We tried but we couldn’t compete with their play.
We started well. I am sure they just thought they would pull their shirts on and we would roll over. We had other ideas. We were on the front foot with everybody getting their foot in. They looked a little bit rattled. And then we scored with less than ten on the clock. Murray was wide left and hit a decent cross which Bradshaw met with a glancing header and it hit the back of the net. We couldn’t believe our good fortune to be leading so early. They looked a bit shell shocked but we had plenty of belief and confidence to push forward. After two more minutes it was Bradshaw who crossed it for Murray to head it goalwards but the keeper saved it. In the meanwhile they were pushing the ball around like Barcelona and there were several moments when we were running around with our tongues hanging out. We were trying hard to get back into it but a good challenge in the middle set us free but the shot was deflected wide.
They had lots of possession but they could not break us down and the half ended with us just in front.
Joe would have been delighted with the first half display and would have had a clear message for more of the same and a fierce determination not to concede early in the second half. He took off Murray who was getting roasted by their nippy winger and brought on Danny to keep him quiet. There was barely three minutes on the clock and they got one back. A cross from the left came off either Jake’s or their defender’s shoulder and drops in. I though Shark could have done better. He made another blooper three minutes later when poor positioning allowed the ball to go over his head and their attacker had the easiest chance to knock it in. Our heads dropped, we couldn’t up our intensity and they just toyed with us in the middle. We were chasing shadows, looking tired and forlorn and they pushed forward at will. A cream crackered Tom and Watmore came off and Nisbet and Flem came on. We had a little more energy but the game moved away from us with their third. We couldn’t get the ball away from our box and a deflected shot hit the back of our net. Now realised it was go for bust so on came Longman and Billy for Campbell and Honeyman and we pushed forward. A corner fell into their box and Nisbet got the last touch to score our second. It was now time for the Alamo as Cooper was pushed forward but despite six added minutes we could not score a third and so they ran out narrow winners.
For me there are questions about Shark’s qualities. Their first two goals were soft. Cooper and Wes were solid but Murray was shown up by his lack of pace..Leonard was OK and BNC tried hard at wingback. Campbell did little, Honeyman was energetic but Sav got my MOM for a determined and effective midfield display. Watmore had some good forward movement and Tom took his goal well.Flem and Rab had good twenty minute cameos. Rab took his goal well too. Billy added energy in the last ten but Longman did very little.
There we’re some encouraging signs at times but they are a decent outfit. No complaints at the final score. We tried but we couldn’t compete with their play.
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